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TALKING HEADS
Friday July 8, 2016
We’re accustomed, numbed, to outrageous terms – terrorist, jihadist, radicalized – in common usage. Perpetrators killed or take themselves out. Everyday television. Few clues, and less understanding of these actions, law enforcement, talking heads and politicos fix blame, attribute blame as if they actually knew and understood. They don’t. They magnify fears, point fingers. Or crossing theirs?
Governments collected money. Distributed, ran short, adjusted expectations. Between ancient Greece and now, democracy lost its way (no GPS). Dictating values, telling primates how to live, what to think, legislating who primates can love or live with became ‘societal norms’. Now, when they run short of cash, they print more or pick our pockets more. Cures balance sheets but not pain. Steadies Wall Street. Galvanizes anger. Doesn’t feed hungry people or free the oppressed. If governments stuck to collecting money and distributing … but governments, claiming to be ‘of the people’ covet and fight for territory and rights to control their citizens. Some want to return to the 7th century. There’s no app but, sadly, too much appetite for that. Governments are run by primates.
While we wrangle over correct language to describe, slice, dice and parse terrorists du jour – we should not ignore the media/political machine. In the sixties we railed against the military-industrial complex. Back then, the enemy was war (Vietnam) and race (U.S) and religion wasn’t on anyone’s radar screen.
In July 1968 I was sixteen, couldn’t wait to be seventeen. This July I’m in no rush for the passage of time – we all need to dig in and make this world better, because watching and talking about it doesn’t seem to have changed much.
Turn on your TV, any channel, you’ll see them. Talking heads. Talking. Yelling, Arguing without debating. Blaming without solving. Ah yes, so much progress. Could we handle any more?
Black day in July, redux.
It’s not the same. Or is it. Are we reliving 1968. OK, not we.
As daily media flow to Canadians has so much overflowing from our southern neighbours …
1968 was a year of massive upheaval in U.S. politics, a presidential election year, wars on foreign shores and race relations in a state where one must wonder if, after so many decades, that the reputed smartest country and strongest economy on earth can’t get it right …
How is 2016 different? Not much, sadly.
And there is so much more …
written / published from Calgary, AB
morning walk with Gusta: 15C/61F (perfect weather for the Stampede parade), light overcast, quick walk – early meeting. Gusta will settle for more-longer-later …
Reader feedback:
ALL EXPLAINED
Dear Mark, Yes, people do change although it may be very difficult to do so. Lots of books about challenges in life, changing and changes, etc... I've recently receive this book as a gift and enjoyed it immensely: Grosz, Stephen. 2013. The examined life. Very favorably reviewed in newspapers., ex., Toronto & Global Mail, New York Times, Sunday Times, Observer, etc. If you're in Calgary, try the Owl's Nest in Britannia Shopping Centre on Elbow Drive SW, Regards, YH, Calgary, AB
I’m struggling to keep up here on Medium. My home feed has been neglected. I cannot find time for The Mission, Be Yourself or The Billfold. Great writers with great ideas, but alas, only so many hours in a day. I feel like I am missing out! I bookmark articles and never make it back. I want to know about agriculture, education and health care. I want to hear about people’s every day lives and lessons. It seems unfair of me not to be reading the people who take the time to read me. Evan Guerra ,BHD , Gerard Mclean , Night Writer , Jessica Archuleta , SF Ali , Mark Kolke .Thank you for reading me! I owe your work some time. I have a week of vacation coming up. Look for me in your notifications. ;), GB, Waukesha, WI
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